Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
Wrestling has several styles. Freestyle (Olympic, for men and women) allows attacks with both arms and legs and rewards explosive throws and exposures. Greco-Roman (Olympic, men) forbids any holds below the waist, producing a spectacular upper-body throwing game. Folkstyle (US high school and college) emphasises control — riding the opponent on the mat — with escapes and reversals as key scores. Other traditional and folk wrestling styles exist worldwide. The international styles reward fast scoring and throws; folkstyle rewards mat control and dominance.
- Freestyle: all limbs, throws (Olympic)
- Greco-Roman: upper body only (Olympic)
- Folkstyle: control and riding (US)
- International styles reward fast scoring
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Freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle represent the three major wrestling disciplines, each with distinct rules — Greco-Roman prohibits any holds below the waist, forcing competitors to rely entirely on upper-body throws and trips, while freestyle and folkstyle both allow leg attacks, with folkstyle (used predominantly in American scholastic and collegiate wrestling) emphasizing control and positional dominance over the more explosive scoring actions rewarded in Olympic freestyle and Greco-Roman.
FAQ
What's the difference between freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling?
Greco-Roman prohibits any holds or attacks below the waist, restricting competitors to upper-body throws and trips, while freestyle wrestling allows leg attacks and a wider range of techniques across the whole body.
What is folkstyle wrestling?
The style predominantly used in American scholastic and collegiate wrestling, emphasizing control and positional dominance (with scoring for things like reversals and near-falls) somewhat differently from the more explosively action-focused scoring systems in Olympic freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.